From Common to Conflict
by SeleccionPeruana
Summary: Poland and Lithuania have a quite close friendship, but there are some dark notes neither like to speak, they do want to be together, but then fight against each other. There has been something differed between them and it would haunt them even today.


Russia was suffering crisis between himself, when he was forced to make a decision: to maintain with the Russian Imperial identity, or to give up and adopting a new Red one. Seeing the opportunity, Poland and Lithuania decided to break away from Russia, proclaiming themselves newly Republics.

It was thought to be always nice like that, as Poland and Lithuania did have something to remember memories of the old, great union …

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In the past as young teenagers, Poland and Lithuania were part of the union called the Commonwealth. This union had put them at a great height and for Poland himself, he was so proud that he felt belonged to this place.

Lithuania was enthusiastic of it. He even adored and after they occupied Moscow at 1612, or even defeating the Prussian Teutonic Orders before, but their height was the complete victory in Vienna against Turkey and his army. Unfortunately, after that, they were unstable and later absorbed by Russia. Poland was even more painful because he was "visited" by Austria and Prussia too.

So that's memoir …

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1920

Poland talked with Lithuania and Lithuania held a discussion with Poland:

"Alright, you want to tell that, after restoration of our independence, what do you want exactly?" Lithuania asked.

"Hey, Lithuania, I have a better idea." Poland spoke to him: "Do you think we should be again to fight the Bolsheviks?"

"Yes, I do." Lithuania's eyes changed to skepticism. Something Lithuania viewed from it was a bit unveiled: "But which alliance?"

Poland proposed a paper that concluded a number of country printed in green and covered entire of Central and part of Eastern Europe. Lithuania was a part of this green line drawing. Poland was quite aware with some neutral countries and he excluded Switzerland and Austria away from the map. Austria during the Great War had been requested by his wife, Hungary, to defend and help Poland resurrected from Russia, although Austria viewed with skepticism. After the end of the conflict, Hungary divorced from Austria, but she thanked Austria for helping Poland.

Poland then proudly represented: "It is _Międzymorze_!"

Lithuania was a bit surprised, but after that, he asked: "Mi … ęd … Międ … zy … mor … ze?" Lithuania wasn't that able to understand Polish.

"Or in Latin known as Intermarium. This is a proposed federation that calling for us to join hand by hand against any eventual 'welcome' from Russia and Germany." Poland claimed: "It would not be a waste, it is worth to mention! A strong, powerful nation stretched between seas and seas, this is what I mean."

"Hahahahahaha, cool." Lithuania laughed but in a way not like laughing at all. There was another side Poland didn't know about.

They were in a warehouse of Vilnius, and Lithuania understood that. Lithuania welcomed the idea, but somehow his feeling was complicated. For Lithuania, better he should ask Poland for the last time:

"Is it possible anyway to found a federative state outside your seas to seas?"

"I don't know, but if you want, keep tell me." Poland laughed when he looked on Lithuania, and they finally had a good smile. After that, Lithuania walked out, where he would meet Estonia and Latvia.

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Young Latvia asked Lithuania when they were walking out: "Big brother, what did Poland say?"

Lithuania breathed for a while and he answered, with a huge stress: "He wants us to join a federation."

Latvia and Estonia were quite supportive. For them, they were young countries, they needed experience and they wanted it. Estonia even encouraged Lithuania to accept Poland's proposal.

But Lithuania had another thinking on his mind:

"Estonia, Latvia … it is nothing more but an attempt of Poland to create a Polish Empire and subject of Polonization. And I knew what happened in the past, because I worked with Poland most of the time!"

Lithuania's expression was a surprise, considering how he and Poland used to be friend. However, Lithuania's explanation later showed a more complicated detail …

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According from Lithuania, it was more complicated:

As a child, Lithuania and Poland did have a lot of fight. Little Lithuania back then was stronger than Poland, and he often bullied Poland in several attempts during middle 12-13th century. However, Lithuania went ravaged by war with Moscow Duchy and weakening Lithuania had decided to make intermarriage with Poland, thus laid the foundation of the Commonwealth. Most of the time, Poland had always been faithful toward Lithuania.

But as Poland's power grew, Poland began to dominate most of the affairs and Lithuania felt himself being grabbed out from talking. Even in later wars, Poland often took charge instead of Lithuania. Lithuania felt discriminated, so while he was happy to accept living with Poland, he wasn't feeling fun and at 18th century, young Lithuania secretly negotiated with Russia to partition Poland.

As for the result of later part, Lithuania didn't support Polish uprising against Russia, feeling he should be bothered alone despite Russia wasn't nice toward Lithuania either. When Russia asked Lithuania to write in Cyrillic, he adopted it but in hidden, he still kept his Latin books and secretly sold to everyone wanna read.

After the Great War, Russia felt into crisis and later Lithuania separated away, but when he saw Poland had intended to do something, he broke it a year earlier. That year, both were fighting Bolshevik army, so they ignored it.

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Due to extreme reasons, Lithuania didn't trust Poland on this occasion.

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Warsaw, Poland

When Poland returned to Warsaw, he felt something not right about Lithuania. He never imagined that.

"Liet, what the hell are you having in your mind?"

He attempted to form a federation, but his idea received little attention. Russia's sister Ukraine and Belarus didn't support it. The couple of Czechoslovakia also refused the offer. In a desperate moment, he asked Lithuania, but he sensed something.

"Lithuania, do you remember what are you doing?"

Most part, Poland wasn't aware with the fact Lithuania didn't like Poland in the dark. Then, he got something about the Polish question in Vilnius raised again.

Poland was serious! He was on his unlikely party with Russia, then bearing a brand new name Soviet Russia. Right now, Soviet Russia was asking Poland to open Warsaw, but Poland saw behind Russia was complete … destruction, so he didn't allow him.

For the sake, Poland needed to defend himself.

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Few days later, Poland received new that Lithuania decided to allow Soviet Russia to be free in Poland. Poland wasn't happy at all.

"WTF?"

Poland never thought Lithuania would allow Soviet Russia to do such thing. Poland, this time, truly felt the pressure: "Liet, I thought you are always a great and faithful. Now you are trying to stab me back?"

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On Lithuanian side, it was a forced choice. He did not support Russia, but he viewed Poland like a kind of bully. By an agreement, Lithuania's neutrality would be maintained with Soviet support. For Lithuania, his survival would be more important.

Estonia and Latvia were so surprised to see Soviet Russia could walk freely within Lithuanian territory, so when Estonia and Latvia asked why, Lithuania stated: "It was a forced choice. But nothing could do."

Lithuania realized several houses in Vilnius were raising Polish flag. Because a lot of Poles were living in Vilnius, they became something annoying for Lithuania, and he asked soldiers to remove these flags. He didn't like it.

He hoped that Soviet Russia would conquer Poland so he could easily restore Lithuanian authority in Vilnius and the rest of the country, as the fear about Poland rose.

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But, it ended in Polish way.

In the decisive party, Soviet Russia was not allowed to get into Warsaw, because Poland didn't want to. In response, Soviet Russia led an army to take charge and they walked into Warsaw.

Poland was aware, so he placed traps around Warsaw to not allowing Soviet Army entering his capital. And the resistance came out for a lot of blood.

Soviet Bolshevik Army was tricked and trapped under surprising attack and Poland, leading the attack, repelled the Bolsheviks. It was so successful that he even referred it as the help of Mother Maria in the sky against Russia, and called "Miracle of the Vistula River".

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But Lithuania wasn't happy. Polish victory meant the Soviets had to abandon whole city. Russia himself was leaving Vilnius and decided to grant all authority for Lithuania because everything didn't go their way. Prior to that, Lithuania also wanted Russia gone, fearing he would take a coup and asking him to wear another red clothes.

Unfortunately, he still feared Poland more. So he requested Lithuanian Army to fortify the whole border. This time, Poland came to Lithuania and gave a serious question in the Suvaikai/Suwałki region.

Poland and Lithuania had a brief argument there …

"Hey, Liet."

"Poland? What are you doing?"

"I thought we are best friend. Now, I guess it's wrong." Poland showed his extreme disappointment.

"If you are a good friend of mine, you should have respected my independence." Lithuania stated clear: "We were one. But not now. You cannot ask me to return back to a position where you wanted to absorb me."

"I have never absorbed you. I truly respect your position. The Intermarium idea was based on respecting ethnic minorities, and Lithuanian rights would be preserved." Poland claimed in a countering way as well: "I gave us a big chance. You later aligned with Russia to attack Poland. What have you done? You ruined our relations."

"I don't align with Russia. It was a neutral treaty guaranteeing me a position no one can touch. You misunderstood it." Lithuania responded: "You are planning for an invasion against me, right? Because of your own Commonwealth?"

"Our Commonwealth, Liet! Our!" Poland didn't satisfy with it: "Why it is so hard for you to accept?"

Then, Lithuania, due to an anger within, he slapped on Poland's face.

The slap, he never thought that. He raised his hand, and when Poland was criticizing Lithuania for his tie with Russia, Lithuania's right hand slapped into Poland's face. Poland was so surprised to see Liet slapped his face, but it was too much.

His face felt the hurt because of the heavy slap. This meant, it had changed.

"Lithuania, you dare to slap me?" Poland turned his eyes, burst his feeling on Lithuania like an act of anger.

"Leave me alone." Lithuania demanded: "And stay out of my country!"

There had been clashes between Polish and Lithuanian troops, but this one was serious, because Lithuania's slap on Poland was seen as a declaration of war against Poland. Poland, he pointed his finger on Lithuania, marked his words:

"You, remember your act. Good luck living alone, Liet."

Lithuania saw Poland rode his horse, left the region as he understood that, his action was a war against Poland. So, the old bond between two went broken, and they became different, later.

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Poland issued manifesto claiming that Lithuania was actively promoting anti-Polish propaganda, while Lithuania reacted very harsh, stating that Poland was invading Lithuania to create a new Polish Empire.

Later, a General named Lucjan Żeligowski came out. Immediately from Poland's room, Lucjan led an army to attack and conquered Vilnius.

Lithuania didn't imagine that a group of Polish Army was marching to Lithuania, especially Vilnius. Lithuania could not accept it because for him, Vilnius was a sacred city, founded by Gediminas, fathers of all Lithuanians. Lithuania used his authority to stop, but Żeligowski didn't listen and he called for Polish uprising in Vilnius. Poles were majority in Vilnius back then, so Lucjan's call was accepted and many Lithuanian troops were attacked and driven from city.

Lithuania, seeing the whole city, even Lithuanian flags torn down by Poles, angered directly to the West:

"POLAND … YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS! DON'T FORGET IT! I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU! REMEMBER MY WORDS!"

Vilnius was soon taken by Poles, and Poland had achieved what he was dreaming about. The taken of Vilnius, however, would become a sour note between two, and that would affect them for many years later …

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Aftermath saw Lithuania and Poland view each other with hatred. Anytime there were some European meetings, Lithuania and Poland had to sit in another chair, not connecting with each other.

They didn't want to talk with each other for years. Anti-Polish feeling was permanent in Lithuania's body; and the same for anti-Lithuanian feeling in Poland's body.

Even during later conflict, Poland and Lithuania didn't collaborate but instead they quarreled with each other. After Soviet Union conquered them both, Lithuania went added with Poland and Soviet Union allowed Vilnius to be back with Lithuania, while Poland was deported by Soviet Union to the West.

And thanked to these actions, today, they still had mistrust …

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Modern day

Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuania and Poland sat again. Since 1992, they began to cooperate again and they were quite happy. But the past was still a sin.

"Liet, do you think that you could still protect your country if not because of mine?"

"Bullshit. My neighboring home, I was able to defend myself."

"Now, we are members of NATO and EU. We can be better and better." Poland laughed: "And I hope for it."

"Yeah, we can be together, let's give up the past." Lithuania shook hand with Poland. Their meeting in the park was warm, and it was fine, until Poland reminded Lithuania.

"I know. But please, stop your mistreatment of Poles in Lithuania, and ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. I would be happier to see you flourish, but if you can't overcome the past, I don't trust we can restore our good tie."

Poland left the park aftermath. Lithuania, meanwhile, listening how Poland said, he wasn't happy at all, because he thought Poland was mocking him.

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Warsaw, Poland

And when Poland was coming back home, he was shocked to see a new that, Lithuania had engaged in a large-scale Lithuanization. He became depressed with this.

"Liet, you have not given up your Nazi idea …"

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End file.
